Year after year it slips farther and farther from the radar in American sports.  Open wheel racing.  It's been a sad few years for me personally as the sport continues to decline ever since the split with CART and the then new IRL. Not all that long ago could I remember Sunday afternoons watching some of the most exciting racing around.  The only real mention of the sport as of late has been due to Danica Patrick.  I do not want to downplay her abilities as a driver but it seems that the only thing that gets attention is because she is a girl. 

     The greatest benefactor of the split in the open wheel federation has been NASCAR.  To me the excitement just isn't there.  Just once I would of loved to see NASCAR's hero's try to bump another car for position and see what would happen.  Road races are nearly non-existent for the circuit.  The 4 hour left hand turn league as i've come to call it mystifies me.  200 mph bumper cars and nothing more.  Much can be said for the skill of drivers who drive supposedly equal cars to victory.  Maybe it's popular because some of us can imagine our monte carlo's being Earnhardt Jr's. 

     The real problem today is that the open wheel circuit no longer has the stars it once did, no real name players.  Possibly largely due to best drivers no longer being largely Americans.  Where are the Andretti's, the Foyt's, Unser's, Sullivans, Rahal's, Fittipaldi's.  There is a certain predalection to these open wheeled races, for I grew up in Nazareth PA, home of the Andretti's.  The track which brought such joy to the community no longer hosts events.  Man you should of been there when Michael won in his hometown.  All is silent.  Here's to hoping for a new generation of drivers with some star appeal to bring the sport back into the lime-light.